Cotton-chopper.



I. A. RICE.

COTTON CHOPPER.

APPLIGATION FILED 111 11.29, 1914v 1,125,714. Patented Jan.19, 1915.

2 8HEETS-SHEET 1.

I. A. RICE.

COTTON CHOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1914.

1,125,714. Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Tr lki NORRIS PETERS 50-. PHOTO-LITHO. WASHING TON, D. C.

IRVAN ALFORIJ RICE, OF DALARK, ARKANSAS.

COTTON-CHOPPER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRV N A. RICE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dalark, in the county of Dallas and State of Arkansas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Choppers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to cotton choppers and it consists in the novelfeatures hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a cotton chopper of simplestructure which may be easily and readily operated to cut out thesuperfluous plants of a line of plants in a row in order that thosewhich are left remaining in the row may be supplied with sufficientsustenance from the soil to enable them to properly develop and producethe desired crop.

WVith the above object in View the chopper comprises a wheel mountedaxle with a shaft journaled for rotation and positioned transverselywith relation to the axle. The said shaft carries chopping blades whichare adapted to cut out the undesired plants and means is provided forrotating the said shaft from one of the supporting wheels of the axle.

In the accompanying drawing :Figure 1 is a top plan view of the cottonchopper. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 isa detailed vertical view of part of the same. Fig. 4 is a detailedsectional View of one of the chopping blades and attached parts. Fig. 5is a transverse sectional view of one of the blades. Fig. 6 is anelevation of one of the blades with parts in section.

The cotton chopper comprises an axle 1 having j ournaled at the endsthereof ground wheels 2. One of the said wheels is provided at its sidewith a gear wheel 3. A draft bar 4 is connected at its rear end with theintermediate portion of the axle 1 and a clevis hook 5 is pivotallyconnected with the forward end of the said draft bar. Brackets 6 areconnected at their rear ends with the axle 1 and the forward ends of thesaid brackets are connected with the draft bar 4: at a point behind thepoint of pivotal connection between the said draft bar and hook 5. Astub shaft 7 is journaled at its rear end in a bearing provided upon theaxle 1 and the forward end of the said stub shaft Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed April 29, 1914..

Patented Jan. 19, 1915. Serial No. 835,181.

is journaled in one of the brackets 6. The said stub shaft carries at apoint between its ends a beveled pinion 8 which meshes with the teethmounted upon one of the ground wheels 2. A shaft 9 is journaled at oneend in a bearing provided upon the axle l and the other end portion ofthe shaft 9 is journaled in the other bracket 6. Large and smallsprocket wheels 10 are fixed to the stub shaft 7 and large and smallsprocket wheels 11 are fixed to the shaft 9. A sprocket chain 12 istrained around one of the sprocket wheels 10 and one of the sprocketwheels 11 and is adapted to transmit rotary movement from the stub shaft7 to the shaft 9. The relative rates at which the said shafts may rotatemay be regulated by placing the chain 12 around the large or smallsprocket wheels of the sets wheels 10 and 11. A brace 13 is connectedwith its forward end to the forward portion of the draft bar 14 and atits rear end the said brace 13 is connected with the axle l at a pointin the vicinity of the bearing in which the shaft 9 is journaled. A head14: is secured by means of a set screw 15 at a desired point upon theshaft 9 and the said head 14: is provided at its opposite end withsockets 16. Blades 17 are provided with shanks 18 which are adapted tobe inserted in the sockets 16 and when so inserted may be secured bymeans of set screws 19 which pass transversely through the side portionsof the head 14. Each blade 17 is provided at its rear edge with anoffset plate 20 having slots 21 and supplemental blades 22 arepositioned upon the plates 20 and are pro vided with bolts 23 which areadapted to pass through the slots 21 and afford means whereby the saidblades 22 may be adjustably secured with relation to the blades 17.Handles 2 1- are secured at their forward ends to one of the brackets 6and the draft 4 respectively and the intermediate portions of the saidhandles are supported by braces the lower ends of which are connectedwith the axle 1.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing it will be seen that as the chopper is drawn over the surface ofthe ground the ground wheels 2 will be rotated and too the stub shaft 7which is rotated by means of the intermeshing gear wheels carried by thesame of sprocket and the gear teeth of the adjacent ground wheel 2 andthe chain 12 the shaft 9 is re tated whereby the blades 17 and theblades 22 are rotated about the aXis of the shaft 9. The said bladesduring-their rotating movement as above indicated will chop out theundesired or superfluous plants in a row of plants, and consequently asthe machine is moved along the said' row of plants the line of plants isthinned 0r chopped out.

If at any time it should be desired that the blades hereinbeforedescribed should es- Having described the invention what is c aimedis=:4-

In a cotton chopper a blade provided at itsside edge with an offsetplate having slots disposed transversely thereof, and a supplementalblade resting upon said plate and having bolts passing through theslots, the. last, mentioned blade being adjustable with relation to thefirst mentioned blade, said blades having their forward surfaces lyingin the same plane.

In testimony whereof'I aifix my signature ill) presence of twowitnesses;

I'RVAN ALFORD RICE.

Witnesses W. F. Rossnnn, E. E. ELDER.

Copies oi thispatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing.the: Gommissinneii of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

